Jefferies

Jefferies, Richard (1848-87), the popular naturalist, was educated at Swindon, Wiltshire, and at Sydenham. His first novel was published in 1874, but was not successful; but he soon began to contribute to newspapers and magazines, and in 1876 came to London. Next year the publication of his Gamekeeper at Home, which had appeared in instalments in the Pall Mall Gazette, increased the reputation he had begun to found by a letter to the Times on the condition of the agricultural labourer. In 1879 appeared Wild Life in a Southern County, which was followed by several similar works. His two best novels were Bevis (1882) and Wood Magic (1881). He suffered from a painful illness in his later years, and was reduced to great poverty.